Suggestions for a computer

olliewebsterSep 16, 2009, 4:41 PM

Hi,

Im looking for a new custom build but I need some suggestions for specs. Basically, I want a gaming computer that can play modern games well and also be futureproof for the next 3 years or so. I have a budget in total of £1200, and that's including screens and peripherals.

In addition to the suggestion above, I would suggest you buy the best monitors you can to fit within your budget. You should easily be able to get 7+ years of useful life out of current generation LCD panels. So if you can afford better then 23" screens, I would go for it.

I don't believe that FSX requires a high response time screen --- you should probably be fine with a 5ms response screen.

I personally run some Dell screens made in 2005 on my gaming computer and I have had no problems. My TVs are made by Samsung, so I have no problems recommending that brand either. The Hanns-G looks like a bargain basement brand, but a 28" screen for that price is a pretty attractive proposition

Ok, so, Why_me, will that configuration run FSX well??? and rougly how long would it be before it gets outdated??? i will probably buy a pc like that, ill just get it off pcspecialist.co.uk, and ill get some good cpu cooling and a keyboard and a mouse, and probably 2 x 1080p 24inch monitors

Well, first thing is that if you pay someone else to build you a system, you won't be able to afford as good of a system. If you are afraid of building a computer from scratch, there are quite a few tutorials and youtube videos that would show you all of the steps. Not to mention that the people on this site can be a great source of help answering questions/concerns/etc.

Second thing is that if all you care about is FSX (which I assume is Flight Simulator X) then in theory this system should be able to run FSX until the parts start to fall.

In terms of being outdated, the sad truth is that all computers are like cars --- they are outdated as soon as they driven off the lot. That doesn't mean that you won't be able to get years of awesome use out of it.

With the case and power supply you have, you are pretty much committing to running a single-video card solution. That isn't necessarily bad --- the GTX 275 listed in your build is an awesome card and should last you a few years of great graphics performance. When the age starts to show, you can swap it out for a GTX 295 as the price of those will have dipped considerably by then.

My personal rule for computers is that I replace them every 2-3 years but it is mostly a case of "wanting" an upgrade instead of "needing" an upgrade. This computer should at least last you that long.

Ok, so, Why_me, will that configuration run FSX well??? and rougly how long would it be before it gets outdated??? i will probably buy a pc like that, ill just get it off pcspecialist.co.uk, and ill get some good cpu cooling and a keyboard and a mouse, and probably 2 x 1080p 24inch monitors

sorry for all the questions, but i'm not really an expert on computer hardware lol.

I just went to that pc specialist site and they don't have the i5's yet. And when I went to configure a i7 build, they had shoddy psu's, HD's, etc...it's a bloody rip off is what it is, and if you use them your going to get buggered for sure. Your best bet is to order the parts, and if you don't feel comfortable putting it together, have someone do if for you like a shop tech or something....or even a friend if they know what they are doing.

Not sure how long it is before it gets outdated...you never know with pc technology. But that build is a good one and it should last you for quite a while. It will play all your games on high with ease.

You might want to look at some of the FSX forums for info on what makes a good FSX PC.

It is my understanding that FSX is very cpu bound, and can make good use of multiple cores. To that end, the new i7-860(lga1156) or i7-920(lga 1366) would be very good. Both cpu's are priced similarly, but the P55 motherboards are cheaper than the X58. On the other hand, the i9 6 core 32nm gulftown cpu's will arrive in 6 months or so, and can run in the X58 motherboards. At this level, the Phenom quads are OK, and are a good value, but they do not seem to compete as well as the nehalem based cpu's.

It is not clear to me how strong a graphics card you need. I have run FSX on my i7-920 with a GTX260-216, and the frame rates seemed OK to me. But, I am no expert on that. You need to use the DX10 option and multi thread patch to get good performance. The new 5850 cards look to be very good, and at a reasonable price. It might pay to wait and see what the Nvidia competition looks like in a month or two.

I have two 1920x1200 monitors, but I could not figure out how to get the game to use both screens, so I only used one. The 1080P monitors you are looking at are similar, they will be 1920 x 1080 in resolution. The size of the screen does not matter. I suggest that you look at the largest size screens you can afford. The PC will be obsoleted long before the displays are, so it pays to get the best up front.

Also, if you know enough to make this post, you know enough to build it yourself. You will get better components, and still get manufacturer's warranties which often exceed that of a system builder's. Support from these forums is as good as you get from a pre-built site.

Does FSX suppoert 3640x1080? That, I assume is why you'd want 2 monitors like that, for panoramic view. If not, have you considered a single 30in monitor?

My understanding is that FSX is more CPU dependent than graphics card dependent, so I'd be looking at a more serious CPU and a upper middle level video. i7 920 and maybe GTS250? I say 920 because clock for clock, it's faster than the 860, assuming you plan to overclock to 860 speeds or higher. If you don't plan to overclock, it's almost a wash on performance so stick with the 860. I've done the comparison and chose the 860 mostly for its lower power consumption and slightly lower cost.

I don't play FSX so I could be wrong but that's what I think I've read in a review of that game.